Pizza Sauce: Used can of crushed tomatoes and 2 cloves of freshly chopped garlic.

Meal #6

Mom's Italian Meatloaf

Serves 6

Ingredients

1# lean ground beef

1 can of tomato sauce

1/4 c. oatmeal (can use more or less depending on how loaf is sticking together)

1 egg

Lots of onion salt

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together ground beef, oatmeal, onion salt, egg, and half the can of tomato sauce. Mix together and then place into a greased loaf pan. Pour other half of the tomato sauce on top and sprinkle with onion salt. Cover with tin foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove tin foil and then bake another fifteen.

Sweet Cornbread

Serves 12

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

2/3 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 egg

1 cup milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray or lightly grease a nine inch round cake pan. In a large bowl combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Stir in egg, milk, and vegetable oil until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.

Coat a nonstick skillet with extra-virgin olive oil. Add crushed garlic and cook until golden brown on a low heat (careful not to burn these). Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Drain meat and set aside. In your food processor add the two cans of tomatoes without the juice. Pulse until chunky and then pour into a large pot. Add the can of tomato sauce, tomato paste, and then using the can of tomato paste fill it with the juice from one of the cans of tomatoes. Add seasonings and meat and bring to a boil and then set to low heat to simmer. Cook pasta as directed and then serve with the sauce.

I also cooked a meal for a new mother that day so I put together an extra batch for her using ziti and topping it with mozzarella.

The remainder of the sauce was jarred to be used later in the week.

Breadmaker Italian Herb Bread

Yields one loaf. Instructions follow for both a 1 ½# loaf and a 2# loaf

Ingredients 1 ½# loaf

7-8 ounces water

¾ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3 cups bread flour

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

½ tablespoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

1½ teaspoons active dry yeast

Ingredients 2# loaf

9-11 ounces water

¾ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil

4 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Ingredients 2# loaf

9-11 ounces water

1 teaspoon salt

1½ tablespoons vegetable oil

3½ cups bread flour

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon dried parsley

2 teaspoons sugar

½ teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Measure all ingredients into bread pan. Select French setting. Select crust setting if other than medium. When bread is done remove from pan.

Meal #8

Simple Pork Chops

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless tenderloin chops

4 bay leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat an indoor grill to medium-high heat. Brush grill with extra-virgin olive oil so meat does not stick. Salt and pepper the pork chops and then put a bay leaf in the center of each one. Put the seasoned side down and then season the opposite side with salt and pepper. Cook for three to four minutes on each side.

Sweet Cornbread Stuffing

Serves 4

Ingredients

Leftover cornbread

2 stalks of celery

½ of an onion

Extra-virgin olive oil to coat the pan

½ can of chicken stock

Cut up celery and onion in small uniform pieces. Coat the bottom of a skillet with extra-virgin olive oil. Heat the celery and onion for about four to five minutes or until full cooked. Crumble up the leftover sweet cornbread (three large slices) and add that to the pan. Add ½ a can of chicken stock or just enough broth until the mixture sticks together. Cook for three minutes and then remove from the pan. Rest pork chops on top of the stuffing.

The other side dish prepared was frozen corn. Prepare as directed on the bag and add butter and seasonings to taste.